How about some shampoo diluted with water on a washcloth?

How about vinegar?

Well, it sounds to me like the seat is made of something with a resin like finish....and oils will damage it.
You probably could use rubbing alcohol...or peroxide.
But frankly, I would use what I want to feel the seat and around it was clean....and if the seat gets ruined, why then you have a good excuse to buy a new one without all thoes caveats.
BUT...I'll bet thar's just a CYA maneuver by the maker to keep from havint to replace a seat that got messed up.
Linda C

"But frankly, I would use what I want to feel the seat and around it was clean....and if the seat gets ruined, why then you have a good excuse to buy a new one without all thoes caveats."

Linda, I agree totally, I always clean bathrooms and kitchen to disinfect, not just for appearance, and a mild soap just would not be enough for my germ phobia. I do have some Clorox disinfecting wipes which seem to be acceptable for many surfaces, plastic included, and will try those.

After all, it's only a $30 plastic seat :)

Thanks to all

First of all, germs don't live hours and hours and hours on any surface as a rule. So soap and water works fine for "disinfecting". When you think about it, what they use to get those dirt spots on the toilet is hardly any cleaner in the mind of the next person to use the toilet.
So it is all relative. Germs of any kind are a fact of life and the zeal to destroy them makes for less healthy children as has been shown by study after study. And the resistance to cleaners by antibacterial products currently has many scientists worried.
Bleach (Clorox wipes perhaps) is recommended for real disinfecting. And it does not create resistant bacteria.

I wouldn't feel uncomfortable using a solution of 1 quart water and 1 t. bleach (which is a standard recommended sanitizer in the kitchen and should work equally well in the bathroom - plus it's more cost effective than the expensive Clorox Wipes). I keep a spritz bottle mixed and use it in the kitchen. Another cheap-to-make mixture is 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water. I use the alcohol/water in a spritz, daily, in my bathroom - sinks, counter, faucets and toilet seat.

-Grainlady

FYI Urine is sterile. ;)

I have a house full of boys and we just use soap and water. I can't imagine using an arsenal of cleaning agents daily.

Gloria

I wondered about the statement by hamptonmeadow, "Bleach (Clorox wipes perhaps) is recommended for real disinfecting. And it does not create resistant bacteria."
The last part of this statement does not seem correct at all. I believe the use of "germ-wipes" was considered a major contributor to the problem of the "super-bugs." Comments?

I was happy to notice that as my son and his friends got older, their aim got better! ;)

You could try a steam cleaner. Personally I use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water with tea tree oil. Why is it that everyone is so paranoid about the bathroom? I recently read that a computer keyboard has more germs than a bathroom. Does everyone bleach those too?

I recently read that a computer keyboard has more germs than a bathroom. Does everyone bleach those too?

I do clean my keyboard regularly with a soft cloth dampened with alcohol. I do this with my telephone handsets and keypads as well. It keeps germs from spreading and acne from forming on your chin when you use the phone (when you see people with acne on the sides of their chin, it is usually due to a dirty mouthpiece!).

As for the toilet seat, most of us have pretty basic toilets and a new seat is as little as $5. I clean it with bleach, I have never had to replace one due to damage from cleaning, and I always feel like it is clean. I see no need to get out an arsenal of cleaning equipment to do the job of a little bleach and a rag.

I agree w/just about all of the above esp, "urine is sterile." It may eventually smell, but it's not going to kill you. We all have an unnatural aversion any kind of germs/bacteria & believe me, I'm a germaphobic but enough is enough. I have a hand held steam cleaner which I've used for years on my toilet seat which is padded. I live alone & I'm very healthy. I use the steam cleaner in my sinks, shower, etc. I use things like anti-bacterial wipes in the store where I work on telephones, keyboards, door handles, etc when people come in coughing & sneezing during the winter. But worst come to worst, buy a new toilet seat that isn't so fussy about how it's cleaned. And then buy a hand held steam cleaner for about $30-$40 which will do a better job of sterilizing, w/out chemicals, than anything else.

I am also of the opinion that urine is syerile, it's a by-product of a bodily product. When you are asked to give a urine sample at a doctors office, they ask you to clean yourself with a wipe, urinate into a container, and you're done. They don't exactly consider your fluid as a hazardpous substance,do they? I believe fecal material is a lot more dangerous, what with e-coli bacteria, etc. Anyhow, simnple soap and water can be used to wipe down the toilet and seat. Don't obsess about germs. Auume everyone in your family has a normal immune system to protect him or her.

I took a course medical microbiology as an undergraduate and then worked in hospital laboratories off and on for a decade.

It has been a long time but I would suggest the human mouth is has more harmful "germs" than anything else you daily contact -- someone else already pointed out that germs don't live long on toilet seats. Some fecal material can be quite bad but in the so called Western Civilizations we don't contact those often, when we do they make the news and a minor panic erupts.

Urine that has anything harmful comes from a very sick person. Sick enough you will know about it.

Oh, buy the way, OP, get a cheap toilet seat without warnings and clean it as you wish.

Hydrogen Peroxide is one of the cheapest things you can buy and it's non-toxic and kills germs as well as bleach. You can buy a half gallon for $1.68 at Sam's Club.

This is all very interesting. The best way to stop the spread of germs(according to the Mayo Clinic) is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

Here is a link that might be useful: hand washing

I have five Toto Toilet seats I maintain in our home myself and they 'ain't cheap'. One costing over $1,200 and is electric. I use any spray on bathroom cleaner I want and rinse it well with warm water. (Scrubbing bubbles, bulk bath cleaner from Sam's w/ bleach in my own bottle is what I'm using now... and I like it.) I spray cleaner, wipe and use small or large brushes if needed, then flood it all with water, then dry with microfiber cloths.

Whatever you put on any toilet seat or any bathroom fixture should not remain on long enough to damage it. The 'danger' is, I believe, is the damage that many people see when they spray on a cleaner and walk away to return hours later seeing pitting, stains, or a finish ruined. Companies today have to have ridiculous 'CYA' statements to prevent lawsuits, don't you think?

FWIW, I've never used powders on a seat for fear of scratches or marring, but I have used powders inside the bowl.

This is off-topic, but an interesting bit of trivia: In colonial days, a la Martha Washington, ladies saved the family's urine and used it as we use chlorine bleach when they washed laundry!

That's probably more than anyone wanted to know. Back to your regularly-scheduled programming. ;-)

sherilynn stated: "I have five Toto Toilet seats I maintain in our home myself and they 'ain't cheap'. One costing over $1,200 and is electric"

Just what is an electric toilet seat? And why on earth would you spend over $1200 for ONE toilet seat?

One thing that needs clarification. FRESH urine is sterile. Which is why people stranded without fluids survive on drinking urine. It's also a sanitary fetish for some (shudder). But I digress. Day old urine is not sterile. Actually considering body temperature, the warm moist conditions are a breeding ground for bacteria when surfaces are wet with urine. And bacterias will grow fast.

So probably not a great idea to send the lads to sterilize the bathroom walls.... and don't forget to get into the corners!

I recall a procedure recommended for sanitizing cutting boards was to use a misting of peroxide and a misting of alcohol. I don't remember the order, and most said it made a difference. Have to look that up again.

But back to the topic, I use spray cleaners. And keep a can of Lysol spray.

And yes, washing hands is the best thing there is for your health. And a dirty phone is a peeve of mine too! Telephones and computer keyboards are the top two most unsanitary items in most homes according to most studies. Toilet seats are generally far cleaner than many kitchen counters too! So where are you eating lunch today????

A $1,200 toilet seat is heated and also heats water for its self-contained bidet. There are ones in Japan that play music too.

...and don't forget the heated blow dryer!

(No kidding!!)

"After all, it's only a $30 plastic seat"...like a couple others here, my plastic toilet seat was a bit more spendy than $30. More like $700 (I found a good deal) (g) My cleaning directions also state not to use what has been the norm for so long. I use Comet in the bowl but plastic electronic seat (Toto Washlet) I use the 50/50 homebrew of water and alcohol.
For anyone interested, you can learn more about the Washlet at the link below. Two rear washes, one front wash, heated seat, heated blow dryer, heated water, varying water pressure, oscillating and pulsating water modes. LOVE it!
Monica

Here is a link that might be useful: Spendy Plastic Toilet Seat

>Two rear washes, one front wash, heated seat, heated blow dryer, heated water, varying water pressure, oscillating and pulsating water modes.

but what will it do for my cellulite?

I didn't take the time to read the directions on my Bemis. Assumed you clean it like any other toilet seat, which for me means Clorox or Lysol wipes or something similar. To my disappointment I had to return the seat about 30 days later due to chipping of the finish. This revealed unsightly brown material that made the seat look especially gross if one didn't look closely enough to realize that the finish was actually chipped away. The lady at home depot seemed shocked and I thought it was defective since she said no one had ever returned one before. I got another one- same exact model and brand. A few weeks later SAME issue. I didn't want to look like an idiot returning a toilet seat again. So- I still have it. I figured it was the wipes even though I use them on my other (different brand) toilet seats. Now that you posted what the directions say then I know for sure that is what I did wrong. Quite frankly, I would never NOT sanitize my toilet seats. That's gross. I won't buy a Bemis again! There is no reason to scrub the seat on the top where people sit. I have always wiped it gently and for it to chip away just because of that is crazy. FYI- the under side does get nasty, esp. with kids so I do put some elbow grease on that side and amazingly it's perfect. So there is something about the side you sit on that has the issue! So- if u are ok with using something mild on the top where you sit, but you want to use the harsher sanitizers on the under side- you should be fine! Personally, I like to sanitize both sides so this is not the seat for me! Lol

Fresh urine is indeed sterile, but if left to stand, it quickly breeds grems. I'd take a rag or washcloth, wet it with tepid water and a little liquid cleaner of any kind (liquid handsoap,dish detergent, cheap shampoo,etc.) and quickly wipe the toilet seat and as much of the toilet as you like, then rinsethe cloth and go over the toilet with a wet cloth, then let it air dry or go over it with a kleenex or piece of toilet paper. Wash the cloth wIth your regular laundry. I saw a show on cleanliness and most likely your kitchen sink has more germs than anywhere in your bathroom.